


Trust Me

by brokenhighways



Series: The Thrill [8]
Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 05:02:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14418249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenhighways/pseuds/brokenhighways
Summary: The aftermath of Jude's arrest.





	Trust Me

**Author's Note:**

> RL got very dramatic for me, but I didn't want to leave you hanging too much, so here's a little teaser for the next part.

Zero's rushed through a swarm of reporters and into a waiting limousine. The door slams after him with gusto and he's thankful that the windows are tinted. The press have been going crazy since Jude's arrest and while he craved this kind of attention once upon a time, he's starting to see the downside. After enough flashing lights, you start to wonder if you're halfway through an alien abduction. 

“Gideon, are you okay?” He looks up to see Laura watching him closely and he shrugs. Of course he's not okay. 

“Where are we going?” 

Laura eyes him warily before she shakes her head. “Jude is being processed downtown. Mieke and I thought it was best that you get down there.”

“Actually, I was enjoying myself at the minibar.”

Zero's sure that the internet is awash with countless stories about how he stood there and drank a skinny girl margarita while his boyfriend was being escorted to the police station. Right now, he doesn't care. Jude’s reaction is playing on his mind, like a skipping tape. 

Jude might not be guilty of murder, but he's he's hiding something. 

Mieke rolls her eyes from where she's seated next to Laura. “Yeah, and you and your  _ appletinis _ are all over Snapchat.”

Last time he checked, the appletini was a perfectly acceptable alcoholic beverage. 

Zero folds his arms close to his chest. “Everything is a public relations matter to you isn't it? You always twist things.”

“I can leave if you want me to,” she retorts dryly. “When your endorsements start vanishing, maybe you'll wonder why you didn't let me do my  _ job.” _

The vehicle pulls to a stop before Zero can argue further and he's surprised to see Clive squeezing into the back of the limousine. 

“Heck of a wedding, huh,” he remarks when he's settled in. The driver resumes the journey and Zero snorts. 

“You know there's  _ one  _ silver lining. Jelena was so busy stabbing me in the back that she's diverted attention away from her wedding.”

Laura slaps him on the back of his head. The resulting blow is sharp and he actually feels the pain reverberate around his skull. 

“Forget about that. Your boyfriend was just arrest for  _ murder.  _ Murder. Murder. We all know that Jude didn't do it.”

Mieke glances up from her ever present iPad. “Actually, for now we know nothing. If it comes down to it, you really  _ don't  _ want to be subpoenaed by lawyers. It never ends well.”

Zero doesn't really want to talk about this but he can see the worry in Laura's eyes. He forgets that she's young sometimes. That she's been through more than the average person. That  _ he  _ has as well. After everything, this is the last thing they need. He's already got a relationship with his mother that feels like a life sentence. He doesn't want that for Jude. 

He bites at his lip, desperately trying to hold in the huge bubble in his chest. He owes it to everyone in this car to keep it together. They're here for  _ him.  _ It's the least he can do. 

“Of course he didn't do it,” he says, projecting his voice to appear confident. “This is probably a huge mistake.”

Clive raises an eyebrow as if to say  _ you sure?  _

Zero looks away. 

~

Jude is still in his pale grey suit when they allow Zero into see him. It's just them because apparently, there's nothing a few autographs can't buy in this town. 

“Zero!” Jude is up and out of the hard plastic chair before Zero can even say anything. He pulls Zero into a tight hug and breathes in deeply. It feels  _ wrong.  _ Something is off and Zero has no idea what.

“Hey, hey…” Zero pushes Jude back long enough to kiss him gently, lips brushing against lips. He can taste a hint of spearmint gum on Jude's lips along with the wine he was drinking at the reception. After a minute, he entangles himself and grabs a hold of Jude's face in his hands. 

“You didn't say a word when they arrested you. Why?”

Jude goes rigid but he doesn't move. He looks into Zero's eyes and smiles weakly. 

“Gideon, I'm  _ not  _ perfect. You know, I rag on you for keeping stuff from me, but...I couldn't tell you. I couldn't and now it's all spiralled out of co--” Zero cuts Jude off with another kiss, conscious of the fact that they're probably  _ listening  _ to them right now. 

“Shhh, don't say anything, okay? We're going to get you out of this.”

Jude’s green eyes are watery when he looks up. “I can't ask you to do that. What about your career?”

Zero can't believe what he's about to say, but it's true. 

“You mean more to me than basketball ever will. I'm going to get you out of this, okay? Just... Trust me. I've got you.”

Jude nods slowly, his hands coming up to rest on where Zero's are still on his face. 

  
“Okay,” he says. “Okay…”


End file.
